Wheel truing question

gabrielevans
gabrielevans Posts: 100
edited May 2014 in Workshop
I was out riding over the weekend and hit a pothole very hard. When I got home it was apparent that the wheel had become very out of true as a result of the impact. Upon closer inspection, there was a dent in the rim. The two LBSs I took the wheel to both told me that as a result of this "flat spot" dent in the rim, the wheel was unrepairable.

My question is:
Is it possible to horizontally true a wheel with a dented rim (ie get it straight between the brake pads), even if it will not be possible to vertically true it as a result of the rim damage - I can live with it hopping up and down, but if there will always be left-right movement I think I will chuck it.

Comments

  • ugo.santalucia
    ugo.santalucia Posts: 28,312
    You can get it almost true, but at the expense of an homogeneous tension... in practice spokes will start popping within a few miles. Depending on your wheel, it might be possible/practical to replace the rim or it might be good for the bin... what wheel is it?
    left the forum March 2023
  • gabrielevans
    gabrielevans Posts: 100
    It's an expensive rim. Definitely not economical to replace. How out of balance would the spoke tension have to be for the breaking to start?
  • ugo.santalucia
    ugo.santalucia Posts: 28,312
    Not a lot... realistically a bent rim is good for the bin... however, if you feel lucky, you can try to straighten it with a bench vice... you've got nothing to lose
    left the forum March 2023
  • JayKosta
    JayKosta Posts: 635
    The brake will not ride correctly on the rim unless the rim is round.
    It won't feel smooth when braking - there will be 'pulsing' every time the bad spot goes around - could be anywhere from major problem to just annoying. The pad might even rub on the tire.

    Is the 'interior' of the rim actually out-of-round, or is it the walls of the rim that hold the tire that are bent.
    Bent walls are easier to straighten, but they WILL BE weaker after the repair.

    How many spokes on the wheel?

    Jay Kosta
    Endwell NY USA
  • desweller
    desweller Posts: 5,175
    Maybe your LBS can fit some shorter spokes in the bent bit.
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  • gabrielevans
    gabrielevans Posts: 100
    Thanks for the replies guys. JayCosta, 16 spokes. The dent is small and fairly insignificant so I will attempt to repair it. Worst case scenario, I pop a spoke and chuck 'em.

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